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OWN YOUR MORNING, OWN YOUR LIFE
BUILD YOUR BEST DAY BEFORE BREAKFAST
Wrongful Death Serious Injury Trucking Accidents Auto/Motorcycle Accidents Drunk Driving Accidents Pedestrian Accidents Giving your pain a voice.
Your brain may just be at its best if you start the day at 4 a.m. by swallowing a big frog. That means beginning with the hard thing, the thing that moves the needle, maybe even the one thing you’ve been putting off. Although waking up early may not come naturally to everyone, it’s the time of day when you’ll be the best version of yourself. July kicks off with Early Bird Day, and I can vouch for the benefits of getting to work before the world gets noisy. You can find clarity in the quiet without meetings, messages, or distractions. Whether you’re writing, building, thinking, or solving, that first hour can buy you leverage for the entire day. I start my days with the “Miracle Morning,” which actually starts the night before with getting proper sleep. I started going to bed earlier and jotting down what I needed to do the next day. A brain dump clears mental clutter so you can sleep more easily. Then, I rise at 4 a.m., make coffee, and refine my to-do list. It’s easier to calendar out tasks so I’m clear on when I will accomplish them. While doing that, I center myself through journaling or meditation.
on your goals. I’ve found that by keeping my visions top of mind, I gravitate toward things that support my goals. By then, it’s probably 5 a.m. and I may feel groggy. So, I have my caffeine and get ready to start with the thing I want to do least of all. My brain is calm before the distractions come flooding in. It’s the perfect chance to “swallow the frog,” that one big, nasty task I’ve been avoiding. I’ll continue the morning with a quick 20–30-minute workout, hit the showers, and get on with the day. By 9 a.m., I’ve already made solid progress and have my schedule locked in, so I’m not tossed around by the winds of society. While you don’t have to wake up at 4 a.m. every day, following a daily process can cause your overall happiness to increase. Also, periodically checking in on your goal helps cement it as an actual goal and not just a wish or a hope. Some people like to tuck their goals into the edges of a mirror or write them down on paper they keep in their pocket. I just keep it in a journal and review it every day. I use the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” planner, which provides guided exercises to help me achieve my dreams. Waking up early and journaling enables you to learn about your motivation. If your goals and dreams are not really your own, meaning someone else has influenced them, you’re probably not going
Boating Accidents Injury on Property Negligent Security Slip-and-Falls Premises Liability
JULY 2025
About journaling, if you do it in the morning and at night, you stay focused
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FROM FARM TO FREEZER Freezing Food Locks in Freshness and Nutrients
Freezing food — what’s not to love about it? Not only does it save time and reduce food waste, it also retains nutrients and keeps your favorites on hand and ready to use. Let’s dive into the many benefits of freezing your food and how it stacks up nutritionally. Understand the cold, hard facts of nutrient retention. Did you know that, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, freezing food doesn’t change its nutritional value? Instead, it’s like hitting the pause button, especially for fruits and vegetables. The moment these foods are picked, they start losing nutrients. However, freezing them shortly after harvest (often done at the peak of ripeness) helps lock in vitamins and minerals. According to a study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, frozen fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts, and, in some cases, they might even retain nutrients better than fresh foods stored for several days. What happens to food in the freezing process? When you freeze food, tiny ice crystals form. The quicker the freezing process, the smaller these crystals, which is important because smaller
ice crystals cause less damage to cell structures. This helps to preserve the food’s texture, flavor, and nutritional content. Fast freezing processes like those used commercially minimize nutrient losses and help preserve food close to its original state. Which foods freeze best? Almost any food can be frozen, but some handle the process better than others. Fruits and vegetables with high water content, such as watermelon and lettuce, can become mushy when thawed because the large ice crystals rupture cells. However, berries, peas, corn, carrots, and greens like spinach freeze well. Meats and fish are also great options for freezing. Are there any nutritional downsides? While freezing does an excellent job at preserving nutrients, water- soluble vitamins like B and C can be slightly reduced during the blanching process (a quick boil used primarily for vegetables before commercial freezing to inactivate enzymes that degrade quality). However, this loss is often minor compared to the losses during refrigeration over several days.
Goodbye Groggy, Hello Productive SMALL MORNING SHIFTS THAT SPARK BIG WINS
Go to Bed Earlier Your morning actually starts with how well you slept the night before. According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over one-third of adults don’t get the recommended amount of sleep every night. If you are struggling to wake up, it could mean you need to go to bed sooner. Setting an earlier bedtime for yourself will make getting up in the morning easier and more natural. You can start by hitting the hay 15 minutes sooner, and continue that over the week. Healthy sleep habits, like turning off devices an hour before bed and not eating too late, can help you drift off quicker. Cue the Energy External factors like exposure to sunlight and physical movement impact your internal clock. You can trick yourself into getting up earlier by
It’s easy to hit snooze in the morning, but when you do, you miss out on some of the most underrated hours of the day. There are many benefits for early risers, from better
harnessing the natural cues your body uses to start the day. Sunlight regulates your system and curbs the sleep hormone melatonin. Use sheer curtains on your bedroom windows to allow light in when you wake up. If your space is dark and you can’t rely on sunlight, use a broad-spectrum light box that simulates the sunrise. Exercise also signals to your body that it’s time to start the day. Try doing a few minutes of yoga or light exercise. Over time, these signals become habits, gently nudging your body to rise earlier and be more alert. Waking up earlier doesn’t require a total life overhaul, but if you make shifts, it can make a significant difference in your entire day. By getting the proper amount of sleep, utilizing light, and staying consistent, early mornings won’t have you pushing snooze; they’ll have you ready to achieve your goals.
mental health to more focus and productivity. Building a new morning schedule for yourself isn’t just about setting an alarm; it’s about setting the tone for the entire day. From using light to trigger your body’s internal clock to improving your sleep
routine, consistent changes can make waking up earlier your new norm.
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AVOID THE SEASON’S TOP DRIVING DANGERS From Road Trips to Rear-Enders
Summer brings warmer weather, vacations, and extra time to relax, but it also means more drivers on the road and more car accidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, July and August rank among the highest months for traffic accidents. With children out of school, plus more celebrations and holiday travel, drivers may be more distracted or in unfamiliar areas. Whether you’re heading out for a big trip or running errands, paying extra attention during this season is essential so your fun in the sun isn’t cut short. More Traffic With more traffic, there are naturally more chances for collisions, especially when more inexperienced teens are behind the wheel in their off-time from school. Along with more vehicles, the summer is a popular time for motorcyclists and bicyclists to enjoy the sunny weather. The boost in busyness can lead to
more rear-end collisions, multivehicle pileups, and distracted-driving-related accidents as people navigate the packed lanes. Weather Woes The heat of the summer can cause extra strain on your vehicle and lead to accidents if you don’t address the issues or stay on top of regular maintenance. Make sure to check your tire pressure regularly, as hot temperatures can cause the air pressure to fluctuate and tires to blow out. Sun glare is also a risk for accidents, causing visibility issues, especially during the early morning and evening hours. Keep sunglasses in the vehicle and try to avoid being out on the road when the sun glare is at its peak. Impaired Driving Distracted driving is a risk year-round, but often worsens during summer as people look up directions, change the tunes for long road trips,
or have more people in the vehicle with them as they head to graduation parties and family gatherings. With all the festivities in summer, drunk driving accidents increase, according to the National Safety Council. Driving while drowsy can be just as dangerous as driving impaired, and more people will be pushing themselves to keep going so they can arrive at their vacation destinations sooner.
If you’ve been hurt in a summer wreck, scan the QR code to contact us at Barry Trial Practice & Resolution today to schedule a free consultation.
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to be satisfied when you achieve it because it wasn’t yours to begin with.
I’m a father, son, husband, and lawyer, so I set one weekly goal to help me become better at each. Likewise, when you select a goal through the prism of your values, it’s more likely to stick and be meaningful. Now you’re moving toward something real and can home in on relationships. Goals need attention and focus to stay alive. When you wake up early and create space to think, build, and reflect, you’re not just getting ahead; you’re taking ownership. Over time, that adds up to a life that feels intentional, not accidental.
So, tonight, shut down a little earlier. Tomorrow, wake up, start the coffee, open the notebook, and swallow the frog.
TAKE A BREAK
Charlie Barry
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INSIDE
1 The Case for Waking Up Early 2 The Science Behind Frozen Food How to Train Your Brain to Rise Early 3 Why Car Crashes Spike in July and August Take a Break 4 The Surprising Ways Plants Support Each Other
Nature’s Hidden Network How Plants Talk to Each Other Underground
You probably don’t think of plants as chatty, but they have a lot going on underground. Scientists have discovered that thin fungus threads in the soil connect many plants — nature’s version of the internet. These threads help plants share nutrients and even send messages to one another. The fungi grow around and between plant roots, building a bridge from one plant to the next. If one plant gets sick or bug-bitten, it can send a warning. Neighboring plants “hear” that signal and might boost their defenses. It’s somewhat like a heads-up before a storm. It’s not just gossip, either. These fungal helpers also help shuffle nutrients around, especially from bigger, well-fed plants to smaller, struggling
ones. In return, the fungi get sugars and energy from the plants. It’s a win-win.
This hidden teamwork has real-world effects. Farmers and gardeners who know about these underground networks can change how they treat their soil. If the fungi are wiped out — say, by chemicals or heavy digging — plants lose their lifeline. But if the networks stay intact, crops tend to grow better and fight off threats more easily. This is still a growing field of research, but it’s changing how we see plant life. If you want to dig a little deeper, check out a recent book, “The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth” by Zoë Schlanger. What looks like a quiet patch of greenery might be a neighborhood full of chatter. You just have to know where to look.
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